Every year, Google looks back at the moments, people and trends through Year in Search. In Malaysia, people not only sought to learn more about everything – from global and local issues, the national general elections, sporting events, and the latest pop culture news – but they were also out-and-about looking for places and experiences across the country.
More than ever before, 2022 was the year which saw Malaysians coming out of a long period of constraints and limitations to embrace what life has to offer – pursue goals, experience joy, and connect deeply with others.
Top 10 trending searches in Malaysia for the year
Government-led initiatives made it into the overall top 10 trending searches for the year. Financial aid remained top of mind for many Malaysians with ‘Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia (BKM)’ taking the top spot this year as Malaysians looked up information to verify their eligibility in receiving their share of the government aid worth RM 8.2 billion.
In seventh place is ‘Peranti Siswa’, an initiative led by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia to provide devices to students from B40 families.
In November, Malaysians headed to the polls for the nation’s 15th general elections and the top trending searches gave us a window into information Malaysians seeked out to participate and stay informed.
‘MySPR Semak’, ‘Keputusan PRU 15’, ‘MyUndi’, and ‘Anwar Ibrahim’ made it into the Top 10, coming in at number two, four, five, and eight respectively.
Football being one of the most popular sports in the country saw ‘World Cup 2022’ at number three on the trending search list as Malaysians prepare for the World Cup – following their favorite teams, keeping in touch with live score updates and details such as who is dominating the passing game – all on Search.
‘Wordle’ was the top trending search globally, and came in at number six in Malaysia, as guessing five-letter words every day became a way of life. Another online pastime that caught the attention of Malaysians is the ‘Mental Age Test’ which takes the 10th spot.
As the world mourned her passing on September 8, Malaysians were also curious to know more about the late ‘Queen Elizabeth’ II, honoring her incredible 70-year legacy as the longest-reigning British monarch.
Year in Search reveals a lot about what we all have in common, while also distinguishing ways in which we are unique, too. While we were concerned citizens of the world with interest on global issues, the passing of prominent global figures and sporting events, we were also invested in local moments with six out of the ten overall trending searches focused on Malaysia, including various search terms related to the 15th General Elections and local politicians. With over 5 million first-time voters in Malaysia this year, and with internet penetration being so high among younger voters, many turned to online resources to find credible and helpful information. This is also the first year since the pandemic that we’re now seeing places of interest across Malaysia – such as malls, theme parks and local destinations – as trending search terms for the year, a possible indication that we’re now well into a post-COVID era and embracing domestic travel and experiences once again.
Google Malaysia Communications Manager Nadia Khan
Time to chill, relax and unwind
Searches for places of interest have spiked this year, with ‘Genting Highlands’ topping the trends list in this category. Malaysians were also interested in discovering the newly-opened ‘LaLaport’ in Bukit Bintang City Centre and ‘Pavilion Bukit Jalil’ mall, as reflected in this list.
Individuals in the limelight
2022 was a momentous year for Malaysians with the recent GE15. It’s no surprise then that the top trending local personalities were mostly politicians, with our newly-appointed prime minister, ‘Anwar Ibrahim’ taking the first spot, followed closely by ‘Najib Razak’ and ‘Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’ in third and fourth place respectively.
In the international scene, former celebrity couple, ‘Amber Heard’ and ‘Johnny Depp’, who split up in 2017 after two years together, are the top two trending searches in the category of International Personalities. Meanwhile, actor ‘Will Smith’, who took a swing at comedian ‘Chris Rock’ during the 94th Academy Awards, has resulted in both of them making an appearance on the list too.
BRB, grabbing some popcorn..
Movie-goers were quick to show up at the cinema to experience the big screen when cinemas began to reopen, with highly-anticipated films making their way to the movie theaters. Local box office hit ‘Mat Kilau’ tops our top trending movies list, in line with the history it created as the fastest film to collect RM47 million – it took just 11 days. Said to be based on a true story, Indonesian horror film ‘KKN di Desa Penari’ came in second, and DC’s superhero film ‘Black Adam’ is in third place.
A moment of silence
The passing of ‘Queen Elizabeth’ was the top trending search for losses, which saw many including Malaysians mourning the passing of the late British monarch. Malaysians also looked up news on local singer-actress ‘Adibah Noor’, who succumbed to ovarian cancer and was loved by many, as social timelines were pouring with condolences messages from fellow colleagues, celebrities and fans.
Other losses that affected Malaysians include: Thai actress ‘TangMo’, local drama actress ‘Syazlin Zainal’, Japan’s former prime minister ‘Shinzo Abe’, former pop singer ‘Aaron Carter’, former MIC president ‘Samy Vellu’, South Korean actress ‘Kim Mi-soo’, YouTube content creator ‘Technoblade’ and American actress ‘Betty White’.
For a look at the full list and other trending categories – sporting events, television series, and topical news, visit https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2022/MY.
In addition to showcasing what people were curious about in Malaysia, Google Search tools also offer insights into which topics captured the entire world’s attention in 2022. Visit the global trends site to explore the rest of this year’s Year in Search stories and top trending charts from Malaysia and around the world.
Explore more trends from the year at yearinsearch.google.
